Truesilver
by Thia Superstar
Summary: Two young cats, each facing their own destinies. Is there still a chance for love to blossom? Shared with author Graceful Fox. R&R please!
1. Chapter 1

Truesilver

Chapter 1- Part 1

Silverkit watched sadly as Sunstar said "Bluekit, step forwards."

Bluekit was her best friend, well at least he was the only one who would tolerate her. Jetkit and Shadowkit, Silverkit's littermates, never wanted her with them and pushed her away constantly. Now he would be an apprentice, and she would be alone again.

"From now on your name will be Bluepaw and you will train as an apprentice until you are ready to defend your Clan with your life and become a warrior."

Bluekit was born with a brother, Badgerkit, but the little tom had died when he was 2 moons old, from a sickness. At least, that's what Silverkit's mother, Flowershine, had told her. Silverkit was careful not to ever mention it to Bluekit. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to have a littermate die.

"Your mentor will be Stormcloud. I hope that you will learn wisdom and patience under him." Sunstar finished.

Silverkit's insides burned with jealousy. Bluekit got the _deputy _as his mentor?! Not fair at all!

Wolfstep, Bluepaw's father, looked on with an unreadable expression. His mate, Raincloud, had died giving birth to Bluekit and Badgerkit.

Silverkit narrowed her eyes at the large gray tom. He never said so, but anyone could tell he blamed Bluekit for the death of his beloved mate.

_That makes no sense!_ Silverkit thought angrily. _It wasn't Bluekit's fault!_

Mosspaw, a pretty young apprentice, was the first to yowl Bluepaw's new name. Then Gingerleaf, then Hollybranch, then Sunstar, then everybody.

Bluepaw cast a nervous look at Silverkit, and she smiled at him, yowling his new name to the stars of Silverpelt.

XXXXXX

Silverkit yawned and closed her eyes, curling up beside Flowershine and Jetkit in the nursery. Her black brother poked a thorn-sharp claw at her pelt. "Budge over, _Slop_kit!"

Silverkit's eyes filled with furious tears and she moved to the far side of the nursery.

Flowershine noticed, and cast a glance at Petalfall, another queen who was due any day. The rosy queen slept on, and Silverkit's mother whispered in relief "Jetkit! Apologize!"

Jetkit smirked and shared a look with Shadowkit. "Sorry, Silverkit." he announced softly, but with venom.

Flowershine nodded. "That's better. Now, everyone go to sleep."

Jetkit and Shadowkit smiled, and curled up next to Flowershine.

Silverkit knew that she didn't dare get near Jetkit or Shadowkit, so she snuggled up to her mother's other side and breathed in Flowershine's comforting smell.

_The trees were all silver, and the water crystal clear. Everything seemed to be glittering, and the brightness hurt Silverkit's eyes. A voice called out_

_"You're here!"_

XXXXXX

"Stop it, Shadowkit!"

The bigger kit snorted at Tinykit's pathetic wail. Petalfall had kitted about 10 sunrises ago, and Tinykit and Tremblekit were the newest editions to the Clan.

Silverkit watched on as her brothers bullied Sunstar's daughters. He wouldn't be happy with that.

Stormcloud padded by with Bluepaw following. Silverkit bounded over to her friend, ears perked.

"You haven't visited in _ages_!" she said. "Will you teach me some battle moves? Please? Or play some moss-ball?"

Bluepaw looked uncomfortable. "Well… Silverkit, I'm not a kit anymore. I'm a 'paw!"

Silverkit looked down at the ground. "Sorry." she whispered.

Bluepaw sympathetically laid his tail on her shoulders. "Why don't you run along and see if the elders will tell you a story?"

"You don't have to treat me like a moon-old kit!" Silverkit snapped. "I'll be an apprentice any day now!"

She stalked away angrily, picking up a couple voles from the fresh-kill pile and walking into the nursery. Petalfall was talking to Flowershine, and as Silverkit gave the two queens the prey, Petalfall remarked casually "Silverkit, could you go fetch Sunstar for me? I'd like to talk to him."

The kit nodded, eyes wide as she though of running a message to the Clan leader.

As she padded across camp, Jetkit sneered "Where too, Slopkit?"

Silverkit smiled icily at him and remarked "Important errand. I've got to deliver a message to Sunstar."

Shadowkit's eyes widened and he drew away, talking in a low voice to Jetkit.

Silverkit's face flushed with pride as she noticed Bluepaw looking at her, nodding at how she had handled her arrogant brothers.

Taking a few hesitant steps in front of Sunstar's den, she asked Stormcloud if she could speak to Sunstar.

Silverkit smiled and took a deep breath and walked in.


	2. Chapter 2

Truesilver

Chapter 2- Bluepaw

Bluepaw padded away from Silverkit angrily. He didn't want her to get in trouble! But she obviously didn't care! He lashed his tail as he padded out of camp to hunt. His  
mentor, Stormcloud, had just recently taught him how to do the hunter's crouch and he was eager to try it out on some real prey, instead of a practice wad of moss.  
Bluepaw pricked his ears for the sound of prey, but he heard nothing. Frustrated, he kept walking. He didn't want to wander off too far. He kept his paws light, careful to avoid any crunchy leaves of twigs that could alert prey of his presence. He felt his heart ache for company, and he knew he needed Silverkit. She seemed like his only friend, and now it appeared she was gone too.  
Bluepaw felt a twig snap under his paw and flicked his tail in anger. Why was his life so hard? He couldn't even catch a stupid mouse without messing something up! Bluepaw felt the fur on his spine bristle and calmed himself. He knew he couldn't feed the Clan if he continued to beat himself up. Bluepaw listened and watched the forest around him. He finally spotted a fluffy fat squirrel scuffling around on the root of a big sycamore tree.  
He hunkered down, making sure to follow his mentor's instructions. He kept his tail up slightly off the ground. He lifted his paws, and set them down lightly. He seemed to slide across the forest floor, as silent as a snake. He kept his eye on the squirrel, but he kept his mind on his body position.  
The squirrel continued to nibble on a little nut, clueless of Bluepaw's presence. When the young tom got close enough, he wriggled his hindquarters and pounced. He landed about a mouselength too short and cursed as the squirrel ran up the tree. Bluepaw raced after it. He dug his claws into the tree and heaved himself upward after his prey. The squirrel ran out onto a branch and Bluepaw followed close behind. The squirrel came to the end of the branch and had nowhere to go. Bluepaw ran over to it. He was only a few pawsteps away when it leapt from its branch into a different tree. Bluepaw's heart sank, only to fill with anger and frustration.  
Bluepaw bunched his muscles and jumped from the sycamore branch into the yew's branch like the squirrel had done. He saw the squirrel's nest above him, a huge wad of leaves and sticks. He climbed up to the nest and found a small hole. He put an eye up to the hole and saw the squirrel inside. It's beady black eyes opened wide in terror and it scrambled to get away. Bluepaw, who could easily fit into the big nest, shoved his way into it. He scrambled around blindly with the squirrel before locating its neck. He clamped his jaws around it and tried to snap it quickly. But it was almost as big as he was, so that didn't go very well.  
The squirrel squeaked loudly and Bluepaw felt bad. He struggled to hold it down in the dark nest, and pinpointed its throat. Bluepaw bit into it, feeling very guilty as it slowly stopped breathing. When the poor creature was dead, Bluepaw dragged it out of the nest and onto the branch. He saw blood around its neck and its eyes wide and glazed. Bluepaw felt sympathy fill his chest and he closed its black eyes gently. Bluepaw licked away the blood to make it seem less brutal.  
Bluepaw took the squirrel in his mouth and started to climb down the tree. His claw got stuck in the bark as he wiggled his way down. He tried to tug it out, but it was very painful. He felt a squirrel hair tickle his nose and braced himself for a sneeze, hoping he wouldn't fall out of the tree. He sneezed loudly and dropped his squirrel. It plummeted to the ground and landed with a big thud.  
Bluepaw inched his way down the big yew tree, and at the bottom found his squirrel in a big heap. He picked it up in his mouth and started to drag it back to camp. As he carried it, he smelled a strong pungent odor. He inhaled, yuck! It was sour and gross.  
Bluepaw tried to figure out what it was, but he couldn't quite decipher it. Then he finally knew what it was.  
Snake! Bluepaw saw the long creature slithering around on the ground and leapt a foxlength into the air in fright. The snake's slitted eyes flicked to Bluepaw. It began to make its way towards him and he backed away slowly. The snake was getting too close for his liking! Bluepaw scrambled up a tree as quick as he could. The snake below his slithered right over the squirrel and went to the base of the tree he was in. Bluepaw got an idea!  
He went a little lower in the tree and stood on a dead branch. He jumped up and down until it started to crack. Bluepaw shook the branch under his paws, and he felt it begin to fall. Bluepaw swiftly hopped into the branch above him and watched as the dead limb fell. It landed right on top of the snake.  
Bluepaw climbed back down the tree and pushed the branch off of the snake, which was now dead. Bluepaw grabbed his squirrel in his mouth, and then barely managed to squeeze the snake in his jaws as well. He tasted the sour, bitter stench of it and made a face.  
Bluepaw walked back to camp, stumbling over his catch's tail as he walked into camp. He quickly located Silverkit. She was lying outside of the nursery sunning herself. Bluepaw caught many of his Clanmates' attention with his snake.  
"Nice catch, Bluepaw!" Stormcloud said as he spotted his apprentice. "It's meal time, why don't you go share your squirrel with a friend?"  
Bluepaw let the nasty snake fall out of his mouth and padded, tail held high over to Silverkit. She looked at him without emotion.  
"Wanna share this squirrel?" he asked cheerfully.  
Silverkit shook her head, "I already ate." She showed no sign of caring. She didn't even say thank you!  
Bluepaw lashed his tail and padded over to the corner of camp, where he flopped down with his prey. He spotted Mosspaw trotting over to him. She stopped in front of Bluepaw, "You're not going to eat all that by yourself are you?" She asked peppily.  
"No, I could use some help," Bluepaw responded, feeling his heart warm at the thought of sharing a meal with another apprentice. Mosspaw could be his new best friend!  
She flopped down beside him. "So, you are liking being an apprentice?"  
Bluepaw smiled, "Yeah, it's really great. Stormcloud's teaching me battle moves tomorrow!"  
Mosspaw purred, "I'm not bragging or anything, but I already know most of the battle moves. You wouldn't want to take me on in a fight!"  
Bluepaw rolled his eyes and nudged her playfully, "I bet I could beat you anyday!"  
"I bet you couldn't." She cast him a mischevious glance, and at that, they sprang to their paws and began circling each other. "Bring it on," Mosspaw said through a purr.  
Bluepaw sprang at his new friend, and they started play-fighting. Mosspaw tugged on his ear while he kicked at her belly, claws sheathed. They laughed and Bluepaw realized he had never had so much fun!  
"What are you two, kits?" Growled a cranky elder when he wobbled past.  
"Sorry, Barkpelt," Mosspaw said quietly and the two broke apart. Bluepaw took a bite out of the juicy squirrel, looking at Mosspaw, his purr as loud as a monster on the Thunderpath. He glanced over at Silverkit, and realized she was watching, a scowl on her face. She chose not to share with me, he thought, Mosspaw is way more fun anyway.  
But he couldn't help from feeling a sense of longing. He wanted to feel her warm silver pelt against his, but he knew that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. He'd lost his old best friend so suddenly, but now he had Mosspaw, and one friend is better than none.


End file.
